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97 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
Dogmatic
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dictatorial in one's opinion
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Attenuate
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to reduce in force or degree, to weaken
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The Bill of Rights attenuated teh traditional power of the gov. to change laws at will.
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Assuage
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to make something unpleasant, less severe
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Serena used aspirin to assuage her pounding headache.
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Articulate
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able to speak clearly and expressively
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Ardor
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intense and passionate feeling
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The bishop's ardor for landscapes was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the Hudson Valley.
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Archaic
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ancient, old-fashioned
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Arbitrate
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to judge dispute between two opposing parties
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Apathy
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lack of interest or emotion
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Antipathy
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extreme dislike
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The antipathy between the French and the English regularly erupted into warfare.
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Antagonize
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to annoy or provoke to anger
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Anomaly
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deviation from what is normal
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Analogous
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similar or alike, in some way equivalent to
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In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is analogous to a mechanical time piece the creation of a divinely intelligent "clockmaker."
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Anachronism
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something out of place in time
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The aged hippies used anachronistic phrases like groovy and far out that had not been popular in years
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Ameliorate
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to make better, improve
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The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers.
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Amalgamate
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to combine, to mix together
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Giant Industries amalgamated with Mega Products to form Ginat Mega Products, Inc.
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Alleviate
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to make more bearable
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Taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headache.
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Aggrandize
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to increase in power, influence and reputation
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The supervisor sought to aggrandize himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own.
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Aesthetic
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concerning the appreciation of beauty
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Followers of the aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.
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Advocate
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to speak in favor
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Adulterate
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to make impure
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He adulterated the conversation by talking down to a colleague.
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Abyss
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an extremely deep hole
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The sub dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths.
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Abstain
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to chose not to do something
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Abscond
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to leave secretly
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He absconded from the party with a bottle of homemade beer.
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Abate
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to reduce in amount, degree or severity
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As the hurrican'es force abated teh winds dropped and the sea became calm.
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Banal
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predictable, cliched, boring
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He used banal phrases like have a nice day or another day, another dollar.
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Austere
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severe or stern in apprearance
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The lack of decoration amakes Zen temples seem austere to the untrained eye.
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Audacious
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fearless and daring
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Her audacious nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of sky diving.
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Bolster
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to support to prop up
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The presence of giant footsteps bolstered teh argument that Sadquatch was in the area.
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Bombastic
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pompous in speech and manner
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The dictator's speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.
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Cacophony
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harsh jarring noise
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The junior high orchestra crated an almost and unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments.
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Candid
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impartial and honest in speech
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The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretensious
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Capricious
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changing one's mind quickly and often
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Castigate
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to punish or criticize harshly
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Catalyst
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something that brings about a change in something else
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Caustic
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biting in wit
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Chaos
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great disorder or confusion
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Chauvinist
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someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
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Chicanery
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deception by means of craft or guile
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Cogent
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convincing and well reasoned
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Condone
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to overlook, pardon or disregard
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Convoluted
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intricate and complicated
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Corroborate
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to provide supporting evidence
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Credulous
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too trusting, gullible
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Cresendo
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steadily increasing volume or force
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Decorum
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appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
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Deference
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respect, courtesy
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Deride
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to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
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Desiccate
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to dry out throughly
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Desultory
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jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
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Diatribe
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anabusive, condemnatory speech
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Diffident
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lacking self-confidence
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Dilate
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to make larger, expand
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Dilatory
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intended to delay
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Dilettante
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someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
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Dirage
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a funeral hymn or mournful speech
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Disabuse
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to set right, free from error
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Discern
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to perceive, to recognize
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Disparate
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fundamentally different; entirely unlike
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Dissemble
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to present a false apprearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
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Dissonance
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a harsh and disagreeable combination often of sounds
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Dogma
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a firmly held opinion often a religious belief
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Dogmatic
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dictorial in one's opinion
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Dupe
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to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
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Eclectic
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selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
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Efficacey
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effectivemenss
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The efficacey of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced.
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Elegy
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a sorrowful poem or speech
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Eloquent
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persuasive and moving, especially in speech
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Emulate
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to copy ; to try to equal or excel
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Enervate
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to reduce in strength
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The guerrillas hoped that a serices of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army.
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Engender
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to produce, cause or bring about
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Enigma
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a puzzle, a mystery
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Enumerate
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to count, list or itemize
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Ephemeral
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lasting a short time
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The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since the flies average life span is a matter of hours.
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Equivocate
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to use expressions of double meaning order to mislead
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When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician equivocated and left all parties thinking he agreed with them.
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Erratic
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wandering and unpredictable
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Erudite
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learned, scholarly, bookish
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Esoteric
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known or understood by only a few
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Estimable
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admirable
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Eulogy
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speech in praise of someone
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Euphemism
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use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
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Exacerbate
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to make worse
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Exculpate
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to clear from blame; prove innocent
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Exigent
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urgent, requiring immediate action
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Exonerate
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to clear of blame
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Explicit
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clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
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Fanatical
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acting excessibely enthusiastic filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
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Fawn
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to grovel
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Fervid
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intensely emotional; feverish
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Florid
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excessivley decorated or embellished
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Foment
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to arouse or incite
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Frugality
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a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
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Garrulous
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tending to talk a lot
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Gregarious
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outgoing, socialbe
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Guile
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deceit or trickery
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Gullible
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easily deceived
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Homogenous
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of a similar kind
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Iconoclast
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one who opposes established beliefs, custome and institutions
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